All Things Considered

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All Things Considered / The Why

There's more to every story if you take the time to tell it. The Why gets to the "why" behind an issue that matters in your community, diving deep to give you a fuller view – and an illuminating listening experience.

President-elect Donald Trump is in the midst of putting his Cabinet together and his transition team — led by Vice President-elect Mike Pence — is full of high-profile Trump supporters, some of whom are likely to score Cabinet jobs.

For Pennsylvanians, two of the names on the list may look familiar.

GOP Congressmen Lou Barletta and Tom Marino, who represent districts in central and northeast Pennsylvania, were two of Trump’s earliest supporters in Congress.

They were rewarded with high-profile positions on the campaign trail.

Team Trump nicknamed the pair “Thunder and Lightning,” and they served, more or less, as the opening act at many rallies.

“Lou and I — we’re sort of interchangeable — and we’re newer members, and we’re tired of the establishment in D.C. Are you?” Marino said to a cheering crowd at one Pennsylvania event.

Barletta is considered a hard-liner on immigration. As mayor of Hazleton in the early 2000s, he led a controversial movement to revoke business licenses from immigrants in the country illegally.

Marino, who served as Lycoming County’s district attorney, professes similar values.

Details are scarce on what exactly is next for the two congressmen; Marino and Barletta declined to be interviewed.

Some members of the transition team have already been named to top positions, including Alabama U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, whom Trump tapped as attorney general.

In a statement, Barletta called his appointment to the team a “great honor.” He said he is excited to be “assembling the people who will be tackling the problems facing the country and making America great again.”